Homemade pizza dough wrapped around pepperoni and melted mozzarella cheese, topped with garlic-herb butter and a sprinkle of Parmesan. Served with a side of pizza sauce for dipping, it is almost impossible to eat just one!
Makes 1 dozen breadsticks
Ingredients
Pizza Dough*:
1 (1/4oz.) packet instant yeast
1 1/3 cups warm water
1 1/2 tsp. sugar
1 Tbs. olive oil
3/4 tsp. salt
3 1/2 cups (425g) bread flour or all-purpose flour
Filling:
12 mozzarella string cheese
3 dozen pepperoni (optional)
Garlic Herb Butter:
2 Tbs. salted butter, melted
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. Italian seasoning
2 Tbs. grated Parmesan cheese
Pizza sauce, for serving
Instructions
- Place the yeast, water, sugar, olive oil, and salt in the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with a dough hook attachment. Turn the mixer to low.
- Once the ingredients are mostly combined, begin slowly adding the flour. When the flour has been incorporated into the wet mixture, turn the mixer to medium. Allow the mixer to knead the dough for 8-10 minutes, until it is smooth and elastic.
- Collect the dough from the mixer and shape it into a ball. Transfer the ball to a lightly oiled mixing bowl, cover the bowl with plastic wrap, and set it in a warm place. Allow the dough to rise for 1 1/2 hours, or until it is doubled in volume.
- When the dough has sufficiently risen, remove it from the bowl and turn it onto a floured work surface. Cut the dough into 12 equal portions. Gently roll a portion into a rectangle roughly 7” long and 4” wide. Lay 4 pieces of pepperoni down the center of the rectangle, and place a string cheese on top. Fold the short edges inward over the cheese, then roll the dough from the long side away from you, fully encasing the cheese and pepperoni. Make sure the seam is tightly sealed; pinch it together if necessary, otherwise the cheese will melt out in the oven.
- Place the breadstick on a parchment-lined baking sheet, and repeat with the remaining dough, pepperoni, and cheese to form 12 breadsticks.
- Once all the breadsticks are shaped and on the baking sheet, cover them loosely with plastic wrap and allow them to rest while the oven preheats.
- Preheat the oven to 400° F.
- Place the melted butter, garlic, and seasoning in a small bowl and stir to combine. Brush about 3/4 of the butter mixture over the tops of the breadsticks. Transfer the baking sheet to the middle rack of the preheated oven.
- Bake the breadsticks for 23-27 minutes, rotating the pan once halfway through the cooking time, until they are golden brown.
- Remove the baking sheet from the oven. Brush the breadsticks with the remaining butter mixture, and sprinkle evenly with Parmesan cheese. Allow to cool for 5 minutes, then serve with a side of pizza sauce for dipping.
*Short on time? 1 lb. of store-bought pizza dough can be easily used instead of homemade.
